Illinois State Police OK Instructors for Concealed Carry Training

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS — Illinois residents can begin applying in January for licenses to carry concealed weapons, but so far only 54 instructors — most from northern Illinois — have been approved to train them.

State Police spokeswoman Monique Bond said the agency has received as many as 1,000 applications from would-be instructors, and is “confident that there will be enough instructors to provide training for prospective applicants.”

In July, Illinois became the last state in the nation to approve a law allowing the public possession of a concealed firearm. Anyone who wants to carry a weapon first must complete 16 hours of training from a state-approved instructor, who must use the state’s training curriculum.